1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transparent thermoplastic resin composition and a molded article prepared therefrom. More particularly, the present invention relates to a transparent thermoplastic resin composition which exhibits superior transparency, impact strength and processability and in particular, does not discolor even during long-term storage and does not discolor at 40 to 80° C., which is the condition of container transportation in the summer, and a molded article prepared therefrom.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, an ABS resin is utilized in a variety of applications including car appliances, home appliances and OA appliances due to physical properties such as processability of styrene, strength and chemical resistance of acrylonitrile and impact resistance of butadiene, and beautiful appearance
However, an ABS resin is disadvantageously limited to application for products requiring transparence, for example, transparent windows of microwaves, cleaner ducts, TV housings, game console housings and transparent windows of office machines due to opacity thereof.
Transparent resins generally used for products requiring transparency include SAN, PC, GPPS, PMMA and the like, but have problems of low impact strength and processability, as compared to ABS resins.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,787,522, JP Publication Patent No. 1988-42940 and EP Patent No. 703252 disclose rubber-reinforced thermoplastic transparent resins such as transparent ABS resins, but all of these resins have a problem of discoloration during storage for a long period of time or container transportation in the summer.
The problem of discoloration generated during long-term and high-temperature storage of transparent ABS resins remains unsolved to date. Accordingly, stock of ABS resins is minimized and discoloration is minimized by immediately using the ABS resins instead of storing the same for a long time based on the concept of first-in, first-out.